Ike wrote:
Q1: The crown molding we purchased has a very decorative pattern. It
is very similar to the third molding shown on this site:

http://www.invitinghome.com/Crown_Mo...lding_List.htm

While it is possible to match the pattern when making a scarf or butt
joint, it is not possible in the corners.

Yes, it is.

You need to ensure that at each corner the molding coming from the left
and that coming from the right are exact mirror-images of each other.
This will mean wasting a bit of molding at each join in order to match
the pattern, as well as some very careful trimming to get it just right.

However, while it's possible to match any particular joint, you may end
up not being able to match the last joint in a room. I have no idea
what would normally be done in this case--maybe design your molding
application so that it doesn't actually cover every surface so that you
never have that last "impossible" joint?

Chris

On Wed, 07 Feb 2007 15:38:06 -0600, Chris Friesen
wrote:

Ike wrote:
Q1: The crown molding we purchased has a very decorative pattern. It
is very similar to the third molding shown on this site:

http://www.invitinghome.com/Crown_Mo...lding_List.htm

While it is possible to match the pattern when making a scarf or butt
joint, it is not possible in the corners.

Yes, it is.

You need to ensure that at each corner the molding coming from the left
and that coming from the right are exact mirror-images of each other.
This will mean wasting a bit of molding at each join in order to match
the pattern, as well as some very careful trimming to get it just right.

However, while it's possible to match any particular joint, you may end
up not being able to match the last joint in a room. I have no idea
what would normally be done in this case--maybe design your molding
application so that it doesn't actually cover every surface so that you
never have that last "impossible" joint?


Find a semi-inconspicuous place to add another joint midway
between corners.

Because the best solutions always involve another joint.

You need to ensure that at each corner the molding coming from the left
and that coming from the right are exact mirror-images of each other.
This will mean wasting a bit of molding at each join in order to match
the pattern, as well as some very careful trimming to get it just right.

I did not know it is possible to make cuts so that the joints became
mirror images when their is a repeating pattern. I had looked at my
test cuts and had come to the conclusion it was not possible. Looks
like I need to make a few more test cuts as practice.

Just being repeating isn't good enough, the pattern has to
have a reflection. If you had molding with, for instance,
a bunch of tigers on it, all facing left, then it
won't work. If one bit of molding is cut through the
middle of a left facing tiger, then the other peice has
to be cut through a right-facing tiger.
(Of course, if it's a zoomorphic pattern, it's
going to look a bit strange anyway...)